Chapter 1001

".....?!!"

"...."

"....!!!"

The entire hall wore expressions of absolute horror as the room fell into a deathly, suffocating silence.

Kael lost his composure completely; his hand slipped from his chair’s armrest, dangling uselessly.

Amir, who had returned to stand behind his seat after calming Grey down, felt his grip fail as his fingers slid off the polished wood.

Grey’s eyes bulged incredulously at the news Vince had just laid bare before them.

No one knew how to react as their thoughts churned rapidly—desperately trying to determine if they had somehow misheard the young mage.

"Wha—?!" Grey finally found his voice after a full, agonizing minute of silence.

Vince smiled softly, his gaze sweeping around the chamber.

Those who were seated were slowly rising in debilitating shock, staring at Vince as if he had just signed their death warrants before glancing back at Grey.

Vince then nodded firmly.

"Yes. In just three months, the Otherworlders will invade this world. After years of conquering other realms consistently while failing to subdue this one because of your meddling, they have finally decided to launch a full-scale assault."

Grey’s hands tightened at his sides into trembling fists.

His teeth gnashed together as he glared at Vince. "The date?"

Vince’s soft smile remained. "On the tenth day, three months from now."

Grey faltered. His brows twitched in confusion as he looked up at Vince.

"Tenth day, three months from now? But that’s—that’s..."

"... Your birthday? Hah-haha-haha. Yeah," Vince interjected, his laughter devoid of any real warmth.

Scarlet turned to look at Grey with a worried, pained expression.

Vince then continued:

"The Devil wants to finish you off and send you back to the afterlife on the very day you entered this world. That is why he chose the date, Grey."

Grey’s jaws tightened in simmering, white-hot anger as he locked eyes with Vince.

Greg, even more furious, scowled at the boy with visible disgust.

"Why are you still with them?! Are you seriously going to stand by and watch as they invade your world? The world you grew up in? Are you really going to betray your family and friends? You’re going to stand by while they try and kill Grey?!"

Vince tilted his head to gaze in the direction of the voice. "Tell me. What has this world ever actually given me, huh?"

"...."

The calm tone in his voice finally gave way to a sharp edge of resentment as he balled his hands at his sides.

"TELL ME! I lived in this damned world as a weakling. Even though I was the son of a Captain, I was as pathetic as I could be. I was bullied every single day of my life by my own brother—who is, fortunately, dead now. Hah!"

"... He wouldn’t be dead if you hadn’t given yourself up by accepting the Otherworlders’ offer! He was trying to save you from their clutches when he lost his life!" Amir clapped back in deep, guttural irritation.

His hands dug into the back of his chair, staring icily at his son.

"Oh, really? Sixteen years of continuous bullying and you think that because he tried ’saving’ me, I should just forgive and overlook everything? You always looked the other way whenever Dave tormented me. I would have died twice over if it wasn’t for Grey, who snatched me from Dave’s clutches!"

Vince’s eyes grew moist, and his teeth were now audibly grinding as he glared at his father.

"... Tell me! Wasn’t it in your presence, during the tournament, that Dave was about to deal a devastating strike to me? Did you do anything about it, huh?! Who saved me? Who risked his identity and revealed every affinity he had tried to keep hidden for years? Grey! Grey did!"

"...."

"And how did you choose to repay Grey for all he did, huh?" Raze asked, his voice dripping with accusation.

Vince shot him a sharp glare before shifting his focus back toward Grey.

"And where was Grey when we needed him most, huh? Tell me, Raze! He was out in another world living his life in peace while we suffered here. The Otherworlders attacked this realm, and we would all be dead by now if it wasn’t for the Emperor. So why should I consider him when he didn’t consider us?!"

Scarlet’s teeth ground back and forth in immense, simmering fury.

"You have always been my childhood best friend, Vince. But I won’t tolerate another single word from you against Grey. So beware!"

Vince cocked a brow, a mockingly amused expression crossing his face.

"Oh! Hah-hah. This is amazing. You finally confessed your feelings, huh? About time, you arrogant wench."

"VINCE!" Grey bellowed in thunderous fury.

Wind began howling within the chamber, resonating with his rage and throwing the tables and chairs aside.

They went flying across the room, shattering against the walls with a series of loud bangs.

"ENOUGH!"

"DON’T YOU DARE THREATEN ME, GREY!" Vince clapped back.

Almost instantly, the metal fixtures in the room began surging toward him at an astonishing speed, responding to his will.

Kael’s eyes tracked the movement, his focus sharpening.

"I was always weak and submissive, but not anymore! Where you all should have helped me grow stronger, you instead tried putting me down. Do you know why I joined them? They promised me power, and I got it! I’m now stronger than ever, so quiet down!" Vince roared as the very structure of the room began groaning under the pressure.

’He’s really stronger. But how did he gain this much power in just five months of joining them?’ Kael wondered inwardly, maintaining a watchful, guarded gaze.

"...."

A few seconds later, Vince exhaled a sharp breath, causing the remaining metal pieces in the room to clatter harmlessly to the floor.

Reaching behind him, he grabbed an obsidian mask and placed it firmly across his face.

Jay’s brows flared in shock. "Oh! You are a Zodiac now?!"

Vince didn’t pay him any attention as an obsidian portal yawned open directly behind his frame.

"I can see the question written all over your faces, so here is the truth. I didn’t come here out of my own volition. I didn’t tell you all about the incoming attack because I want to save you," he stated, glancing around the room at the gritting teeth and clenched jaws.

"... I did and said what I wanted because the Leader sent me to inform you all. That is how confident he is of his victory."

Turning around to face the dark gateway, he paused for a fleeting second before tilting his head back to look in Grey’s direction.

"A special message from the Leader to you personally: Stop me if you can, Grey."

Without hesitation, Vince jumped into the portal.

The gateway whooshed out of existence the moment it registered him entering its depths.